Lancashire: Unlimited glory (8 Sep 1998)

8 September 1998

Unlimited glory

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

When more than 5,000 fans roared Wasim Akram's name as he lifted his second trophy in 30 hours at Old Trafford yesterday, they guaranteed one thing: Murali has a tough act to follow, writes ANDY WILSON.

Wasim will leave Lancashire at the end of this season more popular than ever, whatever the outcome of their remaining Championship games. If they win the Championship as well, he will god own as a Red Rose legend.

Perhaps that explained the twinkle in Wasim's eye as he reflected again on his departure from the club last night. He knows that he has made things pretty uncomfortable for the officials who have voted to give him the elbow, preferring instead Murali's double-jointed elbow.

"I know the club have decided to go for another overseas player, but I am satisfied that I have tried my beat and that we have achieved this success," Wasim said.

"I always believed we could win honours. Now we have two with a good chance of another and most of the side are looking forward to England tours.

"It has been a good season. I know I haven't taken as many wickets as I expected to, that's just the way things go sometimes. But I hope people accept that I have always given 100 per cent."

They certainly seemed to yesterday in Wasim's last big one-day match at Old Trafford - at least until 2000.

He hopes to have one last big day there in the Championship next weekend, of course, when if Lancashire have won at Notts they could clinch a first outright title since 1934 against Hampshire. Surely that would guarantee a huge crowd.

But it is limited overs games - around 80 of them - which have brought the biggest crowds, and often the best performances, out of Wasim at Old Trafford. Yesterday was not a vintage display, either by Wasim or the rest of the Lancashire team. They seemed too tired for that, after their efforts at Lord's over the weekend.

But they still had too much professionalism and nous for plucky Hampshire, bowling and fielding tightly to defend a dodgy total of 202 and end up winning by 16 runs.

More than half that total came in a superb fourth wicket stand of 110 in 16 overs between Graham Lloyd, who made 36, and Andy Flintoff, who made a welcome return to form with 69 from 58 balls.

It has been painful and sometimes embarrassing to watch Flintoff struggle since his shock Test call-up. There had been only 110 runs in 16 innings since his match-winning 70 in the Championship against Warwickshire, providing ammunition to the experts who couldn't wait to write him off as a slogger not up to international cricket.

But yesterday Freddie offered a glorious reminder of his wonderful natural ability as he launched two straight sixes off Shaun Udal, added a third with a murderous pull off Nixon McLean, and just as important, played sensibly in between.

After his dismissal, a victim of his own power as he mis-hit a full toss to long on, the rest of the Lancashire innings was a disappointment as they were bowled out with two balls of the last over wasted.

And Hampshire made good progress in their reply, as after another top class opening spell from Ian Austin (one for 14 in six overs), Robin Smith and young Will Kendall put on 96 for the third wicket.

But Lancashire kept their cool and Glen Chapple, who had a quiet NatWest final this year after his man of the match performance in 1996, grabbed the crucial wicket of Smith, caught behind off the bottom edge.

Chapple was probably the pick of the Lancashire bowlers yesterday to earn 1-29 although Peter Martin was not far behind with 3-41 and Austin ended with 1-30, 12 off an uncharacteristically slack seventh over.

But yesterday belonged to Wasim, who broke into a huge grin as he claimed each of his two wickets and again on the pavilion balcony when he lifted the trophy. He may be back in the year 2000, but for now Wasim, thanks for the memories.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)